Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 3/10/2009

Question
Hi, My puppy is a parvo survivor and she has been well for about a year now. She had contacted it when she was about 8weeks old. Does she have immunity to it now, that she had fought it off? Should I still vaccinate for it?

Answer
Debbie -

Your dog has a limited amount of protection against parvovirus but I do not know the degree to which she is protected.  You can find out the level of protection she carries by requesting a test called a vaccine titer.  A titer should tell you about how much protection your dog has against the parvo virus.

I strongly recommend vaccinating against prevalent diseases.  One of the reasons we see a resurgence of certain diseases in the area of human medicine is that we have stopped vaccinating against them. Consult your veterinarian about vaccinating your dog. He/she can tell you what diseases ate prevalent in your area and what vaccines you should vaccinate against.

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM